HarperMadi
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- RP Date
- two and a half weeks after "When the Thunder Rolls"
- RP Location
- Sirris VI, Obsidian City, East Side Gym
Obsidian City
East-side Gym
9:56pm
Everything had been so loud recently, so chaotic and worrying about it all was setting dark rings underneath Jacky's eyes - she was sick and tired of thinking about it all, trying to distract herself by keeping busy, which mostly involved helping Talos out with his errands or Lynn with her projects but still it didn't help her sleep regardless.
Eveyrone who'd go hit the gym after work would have gone home a little while ago by her assumption, which turned out to be correct because it seemed like the only cars parked outside the place seemed to be employee ones and Jacky couldn't see anybody through the large windows that made up a good portion of the facility's sides. The faux-white haired clone let out a small breath of satisfaction and gripped the handle of her standard-issue S6 dufflebag before entering, mentally swiping her membership through their system with the little device mounted to the girl's central nervous system, checking around for anybody else in the hallway before moving to tie the raven-rooted hair she posessed into a small ponytail that would keep it all out of the way while she tired herself out - even with the unfortunate side-effect of revealing the girl's heterochromatic nature she was so fond of hiding.
"My dear, a pretty thing such as yourself should not feel so ashamed. You have a beauty all your own, one you choose to hide because it is different..." the words of a certain Demoness drifted through her mind and sent a slight chill up the twenty-second Jane clone's spine as she pushed through the door and into the main area she thought was empty, too deep in thought to take notice of the other woman currently making use of it.
The thirty fifth of the batch sisters, normal aside one neural irregularity was busy in one of the weight rooms deeper within, keeping her back straight as she slowly let herself down, the two fifty pound sand bags on her chest making the already inconvenient 1.5 Gs in the room an actual challenge. Inverted rows she liked, always good for making her shoulders sore and loosening those muscles under her shoulder blades. They kept her core engaged, and when she felt her arms lock out, her shoulder blades just barely touching the ground, she rocketed back up, elbows out to keep the focus on her upper back and shoulders.
Slowly, she let herself back down again, taking almost a full ten seconds and feeling her core start to shake as she switched, rocketing back up with her elbows tucked tight to her ribcage to work the upper back on this repitition. She liked coming here late. Especially when she couldn't sleep. She knew something was up with her siblings, with all that had happened recently. It was just annoying to not know what. The lack of confidence in self displayed by several of the other Janes as they broke through their shells was something that interested Spark greatly. From Lynn's own mental health, despite her intelligence and skill. The issues were well managed by medication, but it still interested Spark that that had happened. She noted Jacky's shyness about her similar form to Talos, and Hati's sensitivity of being mistaken for anything other than a wolf. She'd not asked. Simply observed. After all, there were other things to worry about.
Like how the Tsumi recruits easily outstripped her in sheer strength, if not in physical fitness, and though her regimen was built around the attempt, she still couldn't quite keep up with a SHAM equipped soldier. It was clear to her that there were better options available to the NDC than physical training on humans, and it was clear to her that she was quickly becoming obsolete, no matter how close she came to the various biological weapons or supersoldiers she worked with. Despite her desire somewhere deep down to simply be forgotten, that concept still didn't sit well with her.
Jacky had walked a little further into the area at this point, giving a small sigh and shaking her head as the larger-than-stock Jane clone began dragging down the zipper of her hoodie - freezing up when a huff of effort from across the space reached her ears, almost instinctually a hand shot up with the intention to undo her hair and hide the non-standard pigmentation quickly but something made her hesitate and look at who it was first. It was Spark, perhaps the only clone strapped with more muscle than Jacky and for a reason unknown to F-22 it sent a small wave of relief through her system.
She didn't think the other clone had seen her yet, there was still time to undo her hair... but both Orias' and Talos' words filtered through her mind again, the hand wavered for a moment before Jacky forced it into her pocket and took a quick breath to try and calm her nerves.
It didn't work, her heart was thumping in her chest, but she liked to pretend it did something for the heterochromatic woman before she spoke up,"..Hey Spark~ y~you're here kinda late~" Jacky spoke meekly to her bulkier counterpart, another of Orias' wise lines came to mind.
"I see a warrior goddess before me, one who doesn't see herself as others do..."
It wasn't entirely about herself this time though, Jacky was fully aware she wasn't the only one of her vat-born siblings that had issues.
"Couldn't sleep. No duty tomorrow, so figured I'd come work off some steam." Spark looked up, seeing Jacky from her upside-down point of view. Odd, seing Jacky's blue eye for once. Then again, she hadn't seen much of her sister since they had been assigned their various units. She didn't stop her repetition, nor slow down, popping back up with a slight breath. "Same problem? If you'd like, I'm about to get on the treadmills. Two G and a four mile?"
"Yeah... something like that~" Jacky reciprocated with an idle scratch to the back of her head as she set the duffle bag down on a nearby bench before pushing both hands into her pockets just to avoid them sneaking back up again, shifting sideways slightly to face her blue eye away a little as she saw Spark's own oculars graze across it. She would have agreed though, it was good to see this particular sister after schedules split them up - Lynn, Spark and Jacky had all started life with a handful of perscribed medication and while Jacky had managed to get off her anti-anxiety ones for the time being there was no doubt that fact alone made her feel a little closer to those clones in particular, even if Spark didn't share their odd pigmentation.
"Sure though~ sounds uh, sounds good to me~"
"In that case," Spark let herself down, locking her feet under the pull bar's frame to sit up, hefting the sandbags easily. in each hand. "I'll put these away. I notice you're a lot more confident in armor. You don't think you're defective, do you?" Now that she wasn't partially hidden by the draping fabrics of loose sand filled bags, one could see that Spark had forgone the no bare midriffs rule so late. Her shirt absorbed too much sweat, and started chaving when she wasn't careful. "Before you ask, I still have trouble thinking I'm not some times. Don't dye my hair, though."
"I just~ don't..." Jacky began explaining but the words simply didnt want to come out, causing the clone to let a little huff of frustration leave her ample chest before trying again. "I don't like being built~ I guess purposefully uh, well different to you all~ and being in armour, it just makes me~ I don't know," the heterochromatic Jane sighed as she moved over to the treadmills slowly, head tilted down towards the ground in shame before turning back to Spark.
"....Not much of an answer~ sorry ..how are you going lately though?"
"Armor is safe. Feels comfortable. And for another mission, feels like you're just another trooper. I get that. Really." Spark nodded, placing the sandbags on their rack and following Jacky. "I will be fine. I'm more worried about the others. Some of the other Fenrir troops aren't quite as ready to break free. Recent events are worrisome. Specifically, I'm worried about you and Lynn. I can't help her, but perhaps, if you can put it to words, I might think of something."
Spark shrugged, her hand brushing the gravity control on her way through the doorway, telling it to add a full G of force. Enough to feel her guts drop and her legs become slightly more stiff. Her team's standard was a fourteen minute two mile time, at one and a half gravities.
The taller of the two clones buckled a little more under the additional gravity, being a little lost in thought on how she could try and word the odd feelings that made her want to just run out into traffic when things got particularly bad, but she recovered from the shift and undid her hoodie to reveal that scarred torso - while definitely not as physically intimidating as Spark, Jacky was indeed a good bit fitter, and much to her discomfort, curvier than most other Janes with her reasonably defined abdomen and muscled limbs.
"Yeah~ Lynn's still not saying much... not even to Tal or I, and I just... well, feel guilty for feeling like this~ when others have real issues," she spoke with a sad smile at the other clone before moving to stand up on the treadmill, shoulders slouched as usual.
"I wouldn't." Spark said simply, stepping onto her own treadmill. She pressed a few buttons and let the fans whirl up, moving air to match how fastshe would run. A final beep and she started, heavy feet thudding down the moving belt. "Set a comfortable pace. The standard's thirty six minutes. When Armora told me that the other clones looked up to me in their own way, you, Talos, Lynn, and Hati as well, it took me a few days to get over the idea that I felt a way I shouldn't have. Projected my own insecurities on the others."
She paused for a moment, looking over. "Still bugs me some times. Especially considering I'm kinda numb about Commander Pine's predicament. I feel like I should feel something. But I'm not sure what."
"You do so much for us, Spark, it~it's admirible... I am sorry for the stress that uh, that we might put you through though," Jacky reciprocated as she offered the other woman a small smile, looking down at Spark's treadmill to glance at the settings and set hers likewise before Jacky's footfalls joined in.
"Numb is a feeling too... Mum's thing came as a shock to everyone, just need some time~ to work through it," Jacky offered but this was a far cry from anything she'd consider herself qualified to help with, still she'd try though. The speed of the threadmill slowly built up, making the heterochomatic girl's heavily compressed chest bounce a little more with each step, the feeling causing a small frown on her face as she was again reminded of the differences.
"My point is that you might not want to focus on the fact that you feel like crap. If I'm allowed to be numb, you can be depressed for a few days." Spark shrugged, almost stumbling as she turned. "Besides, you, at least, have some jiggle to you. I might have overdone the PT for a few days."
"I guess that is fair~" Jacky mused at the first statement, a small blush fallng over her porcelain cheeks at the mention of her 'jiggle', though it did bring up an almost happy little moment with Dovania's Demon Queen not too long ago. "Orias actually bought these bras for me~ she keeps doing stuff like that for some reason lately, I don't mind though. We're about the same size so~" Jacky trailed off, not really sure where she was going with that but a dumb little grin formed on her face and the blush deepened.
"No, the fuck we don't! I lost my ta-tas, thank you, went up a few band sizes, dropped a few cup sizes, and got some almighty guns."
Jacky's raven eyebrows frowned a little out of confusion as she looked across to Spark, step faltering a little though recoving quick enough to brush it off as the heterochromatic girl spoke, "No we don't... what?"
"I went down a few bra sizes when I started bulking up my chest. Burned off most of the fatty tissue of my boobs." Spark casually poked at her sport bra. "I mean, I went up a few band sizes, but still, this is mostly gland. You look better than I do. Fit as Hell, but not big."
"Oh~" the blush that had only recently faded made its way back onto Jacky's cheeks along with a hint of a smile before the taller girl shook her head, "I~ I~ I wouldn't say I look uh... better, different? yeah~ but you looking tough as nails on the outside... I just think it suits you better," Jacky mused, she wasn't so used to people saying she looked nice but that was the second time she'd heard it this week.
"...this is weird but~ do you really think I'm pretty...?"
"Would you have any better reason for some of the attention you get, and the fact that I can't get a date?" Spark asked, looking at Jacky as though that was obvious. "You gotta realize that..."
Spark was quiet for a moment, considering her words, through the whine of the treadmill and the buffetting of fans. She felt her feet hammering against the surface, and found it amusing that her hair didn't quite bounce the same way, or that it took much smaller drops for her sweat to roll down. "You are not broken, Jacky. You're actually really pretty. That or I have some secret fetishes I should go see a therapist about. More than that, you're kind, sweet, strong, and one Hell of a scout. I envy you some days."
The taller clone's eyes drifted down to the tread and watched it roll past, thinking on what Spark had said for a good moment as her blush deepened and the smile curved up a little bit more, mis-matching gaze returning to Spark eventually, "I... thank you~ just need to get me thinking the same way... I'm starting to think I'm the only~ only reason I'm still... nevermind," Jacky stopped herself, maybe that was too personal of a detail, but maybe it was something everybody just assumed, it wouldn't be hard to guess she was still pure.
"Yeah, the only thing keeping some wonderful person outta your life is your own lack of confidence. In armor, you're great. Just don't pull a Rorik." Spark rolled her eyes, looking away with a snort. "And don't repeat my fuckups."
"Thanks, Spark~" Jacky smiled back once more before her head tilted to the side a little while regarding the other clone, noting the way she looked away when mentioning the whole Rorik situation and considering not bringing it up for a moment before just going for it.
"...y~yeah, the whole Rorik thing~ anything you uh, want to get off your chest?"
"It's nothing. The Rorik I knew died. Whisper saw it. Come to find out he's the original. I didn't tell him how I felt, and in out line of work, some times doing that means they're gone before you can." Jacky had probably seen how Spark had soured over the last few months, her anger management skills quickly degrading as her combat tactics became more and more brutal, shock and awe styled rapid insertions and massive firepower. The incident a few weeks ago with Armora was proof enough that she needed help, but was too prideful to admit that she was anything but perfectly okay. She hadn't noticed anything wrong, and continued mission as though nothing had happened. Moreover, some deep seated instinct to settle down and develop a romance interfered with her desire to die in combat like a hero and be forgotten as though she were no more than a conscript. "Now he's off with some Nepleslian girl and I'm stuck still... Well. You get my point."
"You're stuck with me~" Jacky mused with a light sheen of sweat beginning to form over her porcelain figure, polychromatic eyes holding shut for a second to steel her nerves and think carefully about what to say before opening again, honestly what came next was some amalglamation of what everyone had been telling her - though this time it was coming from the meekest clone.
"...I'm not good with~with my own stuff but I'm here if you need anything, Spark~ us Janes...with our issues? we have to stick together~" she tried offering as some reassuring words, trying to tell Spark she didn't need to go through all this alone, her shining chest beginning to heave a bit more with each breath under the increased gravity but Jacky made no complaints.
"You good?" Spark's stride hadn't broken from the easy lope. Sure, she was sweating, and her back and core ached in this gravity, but she had handled worse, trained and fought in worse. "You're right. We have to stick together. But I was never really one of them. Hell, Armora's the only jailbroken one that wasn't wierd in some way. You have some really neat and useful quirks. You know what I got? A damn brain defect. My programming's still there. If I get a Geist like all the rest, I join them locked away behind it. Kinda wish I could just check out like that."
"I can handle it~" the other woman responded, making her back straight again with a small popping sound after having noticed she'd begun leaning forwards - a huff escaping Jacky's lips though not from the added physical stress that came with Spark's more intense regime, she'd just knuckle through that, but more at some of what was coming out her sister's mouth. "I... wish I could make you see, see~see the amazing person you are for having pushed so far... despite that," Jacky meeped with a strong gulp, biting her lip thoughtfully.
"Oddities make us us~" she finished, eyes visibly widening at a small realization.
Spark was silent for a few moments, thinking. About fifteen minutes into the run and Jacky had two epiphanies that poked holes into Spark's worldview. "Almost halfway there. But you're right. Without that heterochromia or black hair, maybe that extra couple of inches, you would probably... I dunno. By the way, Lynn. She doing okay?"
Jacky tried to shake that stray thought from her mind but it lingered there, so the best the taller clone could do was push it aside for now and refocus on Spark, offering a bit of a forlorn look before answering, "...where I'm shy Lynn seems to be as stubborn as Mum~ but... I think the scars are coming in less frequently~ I hope it is a good sign."
"I hope so, too." Spark looked over, offering an appreciative smile, but also double checking that Jacky wasn't close to hurting herself. "I'm sorry I haven't been as engaged with our sisters as I should have been. Work's been crazy, and some of my missions have gotten a touch hairy. I'm sure you read the briefs."
"It's okay... people get busy~ and everyone should understand that... truth be told I still only really stick to our little group," Jacky admitted reassuringly as her lesser, when compared so Sparks, muscles could be seen straining with each movement - she'd definitely be sore as hell afterwards but there was a hint of a fire in her eyes that wanted to prove she could keep it up.
Spark liked seeing that fire. Both in her fireteam's eyes, and in her siblings'. It let her know that there was something beyond the professional mask, a determination to work hard and be the best. "I wasn't sure how to approach the group. Talos is a superior officer, Lynn... She's got her own issues, Hati's a good boy, the goodest, and you... Some times I think you're scared of your own damn shadow. Then there's a couple like Armora, who up and down swear the to-standard clones actually envy us."
Spark's hands went up in exasperation, showing how she wasn't allowing herself to slow down, despite the exertion. Jacky would not be the only one to be sore, as the human body was not designed to run for miles in high gravity. The strain on her heart and skeleton was offset by her physical fitness, but her footfalls were still shorter and faster, she couldn't bounce like her run form wanted, her steps were more careful, and her core was constantly engaged to keep her hips level, working itself several times harder, despite the relatively minor increase in gravity. "I knew there was a group, but I keep getting demoted so fast that I haven't been able to keep up with Talos and the others seem better off without me. Thank you, though. For being here. It means a lot."
"You're always there for me, Spark... so, I'll always be here~ for you," Jacky shot right back as her exposed top of her chest, midriff and arms slowly gained more of a sheen, the taller clone was really feeling it in her muscles and lungs but was determined to perservere, trying to keep her breathing steady half to manage her oxygen levels and half to try and hide the true strain from Spark.
"Always... no two ways about it~ we'll uh, figure out something to keep you from dropping rank... I'm free tomorrow actually... if you want to sit down then~" the heterochromatic woman finished with an offer and a kind, if not small and somewhat reserved, smile.
"Oh, for that stunt in the Neshaten meeting? Definitely losing my stripes. Probably gonna get dropped to a damn corporal and lose my fireteam." Spark seemed annoyed at the thought, though knew she would quickly earn it back, given the opportunity. "Then again, the most self destructive and problematic personality I've ever seen, barring Koroleva, twisted and weaponized, and whose idea was it to give me four? That said, I'll drop by tomorrow and we can figure something out. I'll bring lunch."
"...well, I reckon... no offence, but~ well you are probably the only person who could keep yourself in line if that makes sense," Jacky smiled a little more at the light-hearted compliment before nodding at her sister's previous statement. "But yes, tomorrow sounds good~ just us two, catching up... and stuff," she finished, heart thumping wildly in her chest from all the exertion but still not one complaint.
"I'm not worried about me." Spark grinned. "I'm worried about those damn Ironhart clones. We haven't had one get close to Rose just yet, but I imagine the response would be... Violent. Given what they've told us."
She shrugged, placing her hands on the railing for some measure of support and to check her heart rate. "Just one more mile. I'm rather impressed, by the way. The thirty six minute standard is at one G. It goes to forty at one point four. We've maintained a seven minute mile pace. Besides, this isn't catching up? You know who I'm interested in. You got anybody special?"
"Thanks~ sorry, I usually come here alone so... it's weird having somebody to talk to," Jacky chirped back happily as the blush that had faded retook her features yet again, eyes diverting away from Sparks with a heavy breath that was starting to reveal her struggle before F-22 continued speaking.
"You all seem to keep asking that... answer is still no, nobody yet~" Jacky admitted, and was about to stop there but if she couldn't tell Spark then who the hell could she tell.
"...I think I like girls though... nobody to test that with~ but... yeah."
"That's... You know what, that's great! Maybe one day we'll get gaybies out of you. Till then, I hope you find your cute something. Just one thing. I swear to Infinity, if I have to get her number for you, I'm telling her all the good stuff you don't touch on." Spark gave a knife hand and a raised eyebrow to drive the comment home, smiling.
"Oh! Anybody teach Armora how to put on a bra yet? Or... Anything about life? The last time we forgot, she got taken advantage of. I still owe that sleazebag a sacktap. But Aztec seems good for her."
"Heh... gaybies," Jacky gave with an uncharacteristically carefree chuckle before slipping back slowly into her usual demeanour, "I don't really have any secrets though Spark... besides~" the taller clone gestured to her whole person with a bit of a grimace before sighing. "It's not much of a secret anymore.. I suppose... but anyway~ I tried teaching her some stuff the other day... you know how many I have to wear during physical stuff so~," Jacky broke off from her idle rambling of an answer with another shake of her head before regarding Spark with a more serious look.
"I'd say her and Aztec seem good for each other... yeah... it's odd though, how he gets that body~ and then we see more start cropping up~"
"I blame Carl," Spark monotoned almost instantly. "Also, I know a guy who knows a guy, if wearing two or three sport bras is getting to be a bit much."
"...uh, what kind of solution would they have?" Jacky asked worriedly, a bead of sweat rolling down her jaw to land on the girl's expanse of cleavage as she continued to run, now with one eyebrow raised curiously.
"Probably heavier material, putting some engineering into it, et cetera. I'll pitch some coin. It's not a cheap thing. But they'll fit, and they'll work. For you, at least. Not everybody's got an hourglass doll figure with your... Add-ons." Spark returned the look. "After this, we're going to want to run a reacclimation drill and some cooldown stretches."
"Oh~" the doll in question sighed out of relief after hearing Spark's response, small smile lifting up the corners of her mouth once more before Jacky spoke, "I though you were suggesting a surgeon... odd as it sounds... I want to keep as many body parts as I can~ even if they worry me and make me stress... but that might be a good idea, thank you~" she chirped before clearing her throat.
"Sounds good~ I'm not used to... this much extra gravity."
Spark looked over with a mildly incredulous cocked eyebrow at the mention of a surgeon. Then she started giggling. "Not gonna put you under the knife if I can avoid it. You know the cooldown drill, right? Same thing at half speed and lower than normal gravity. Like half G."
"Yep~ sounds like what I've heard," Jacky smirked a little, secretly thankful this torture was almost over, her legs were on fire.
"Alright. And just a few more yards." Spark grinned, feeling the treadmill slow to a walking pace below her. "Just walk it out and breathe. Go ahead and turn down the gravity if you like. So on to other subjects. What are you doing tomorrow? Other than being sore?"
Jacky nodded and interfaced with the room's gravity controls via the chunk of computational equipment in the back of her neck, slowing her pace as the treadmill did until she was walking with a sigh as the additional weight was taken off her body, spending a few moments catching her breath before speaking, "Meeting up with you for lunch~ not much else besides that... Tal said he wanted to discuss something official-sounding with me this week, dunno what what was though~ yourself?"
"The usual. Do dumb shit, get demoted, do awesome shit, get promoted, meet you for lunch, drop a coffee shop girl in your lap. Try to get Armora to go for Aztec a little more aggressively." Spark shrugged, trying to keep herself from bouncing too much as she crossed her arms over her head, opening her lungs up to breathe deep as she walked off the run.
Bounce infact was the reason Jacky wasn't doing the same, she experienced that enough on a day to day basis let alone on half gravity... but her lungs were aching and her face was bright red already so she joined Spark - glorious chestly assets shifting about the way you'd expect them to in half-gravity. "S~Spark!" she scoffed a little at her sister's boldness, breathing deeply and revelling in the sensation of adeqate oxygenation before continuing.
"I didn't realize you were the... Devil's Advocate...? is that the right term?" Jacky had intended to try teasing a little bit but it had turned into a query, she wasn't well versed in using such flamboyant language afterall.
"In our line of work, dear sister, we could be gone any day, for weeks, months, or we could be never coming home. It doesn't always happen with a warning like Sarah." Spark looked away, playing dumb to the devil's advocate. "Sometimes you don't get a chance to say good bye. And some times you don't get a chance to say 'Hey, I like you, let's get coffee.' This isn't a fairy tale."
She was silent for a moment, her steps slow and careful, more a shifting of weight than a push off the ground. Slowly, the treadmill stopped, and she pulled one hand behind her shoulder blades, using the other to stretch the shoulder into place. After about twenty seconds, she switched arms and continued the stretch. "I just want to make sure everybody gets that chance."
"Thats admirable of you~ honestly..." Jacky offered back with a small huff as she too came to a halt, eyes shifting to the floor for a moment before returning to Spark. "Just don't forget to include yourself in there too... yeah?"
"Missed that shot. If there's someone I'm interested in, I'll let you know. I'm thinking redhead, violet eyes." Spark offered the joke with a smile before she put one leg as far back as she could, letting her right knee hit ninety degrees as she let her weight settle on her ankle, keeping her left leg straight and her body upright.
The heterochromatic girl's legs were feeling like they might give out if she bent them too much right now, so instead of stretching out like Spark she instead moved to rest against the rail of the treadmill, careful not to tip it over with her center of mass. "Sounds uh, well sounds like~ you might have your eyes on somebody already?" Jacky queried, but didn't want to go poking too much.
"Not really. Just making some jokes about a dream girl. Tell you what, if you find her before I do, sell me. If I get a call from some random comm code, I'll pick up. Bonus points if you get me pictures. I'm looking for some sweetheart farm girl who can cook better than I can." Spark shrugged, switching legs. "You know if you don't stretch out your legs and hips, they're gonna cramp tomorrow morning, right?"
"I'll be fine~" Jacky mused with a shrug of her shoulders before crossing her arms under her chest with a sigh, dumb little grin on her face at Spark's request and specific parameters but of course she would oblige. "I'll keep an eye out for you then... well both obviously... you know what I mean," F-22 choked up a little bit, it felt weird to have spent this long without hair over one eye like she usually did.
"Anyway~ do you mind if I ask something... something uh, personal?"
"Yeah. Go for it." Spark stood herself back out, dropping onto her fingertips and toes before she let her hips slide to the floor, pushing back to stretch her core and hips. "Rather you ask than assume."
"Alright then~" Jacky gulped as she moved over to sit on a nearby bench, shrugging her hoodie back on and zipping it up over her curves with a nervous little breath before asking what she wished to know. "The first time with... somebody~ does it really hurt as much as I hear it does?" the taller girl asked, fiddling with her tied-up hair a little bit.
"That depends on a few things. From the research I've managed, the more relaxed you are with your partner, the less that first push will hurt. But I don't know that firsthand." Spark's hips came back up, pulling her arms straight and driving her heels towards the floor. "Most of us don't, I imagine."
"O~Oh?" the curious clone let out, clearly surprised by part of this answer Jacky stopped fiddling with her hair and moved both hands down to her knees before giving some context - it really had caught her off guard. "I~I know most of us haven't... yeah, but I thought you might have~ huh, sorry for that," she offered with an apologetically awkward smile.
"For what?" Spark returned to her starting position, letting herself down before pushing hard to rocket to her feet. "I got into PT, never really bothered finding a lover. Not that many would find me appealing right now."
Spark shrugged, moving to settle into the bench next to Jacky. giving a small groan of relaxation before she gave a shrug. "Just never was something that I had a real interest in. Right person, sure. Otherwise, I'm happy with a gym membership and a mission."
"...Spark, you're great~ we'll find you that farm girl... then you two can, uh," Jacky spoke, a violent blush filling her cheeks but there was a soft smile on her pale features as the girl kicked herself onwards to commit to what she was saying, "Then you two... can make... gaybies of your own~"
"Jacky, let's be frank, I'm probably the only member of Fenrir division buffer than Talos." Spark leaned back, closing her eyes and leaning up against the wall. "I outweigh most of the girls by sixty or seventy pounds at least. That said, what would you be looking for?"
"I dunno~" Jacky began before getting up from her seated position with a small huff of effort, moving over to stand next to Spark before continuing their conversation - secretly though it was a little bit of an excuse to stall, "I... don't really know, yeah~ I'd almost say somebody shorter... but none of us are s~short and me less so - kinda a given I guess... just somebody nice," the taller of the two girls continued, leaning to one side a little to rest her head on Spark's shoulder.
"At least I know Mum won't say anything against me liking girls when I tell her~" Jacky finished with a small sound of amusement.
"Considering she married one? I dare say she'd be happy about it." Spark gave a small snort of laughter. "Someone nice will come. Perhaps they already have, but you're too shy to admit it. We should go to the beach some time. If you wear a bikini, I'll wear one. I'd look funny as Hell, but I'll wear it."
"Me... in a b~bikini?" Jacky stammered as she flashed back to cramming her extreme proportions into a bit of lingerie that Orias had picked out, it made the pale girl blush a little more as she assumed beach-side shenannigans would similarly embarass her... somebody else with her figure in one might look nice but not her... not yet at least.
"...okay maybe further down the line~ trying on lingerie was bad enough and that was only a few people," she offered as a neutral answer before feeling something pinch in the back of her neck, it was an odd feeling but Jacky ignored it for the moment.
"Further down the line. Up for a trip to see how mom's feeling?"
"Yeah sure~ oh one moment, I got a message," Jacky chirped back before raising her head off of Spark's shoulder gently to check, the heterochromatic girl's eyes widened and all of a sudden her mouth felt very dry as a few blinks were given - each passing of her eyelids making her mismatching eyes seem glassier than they were prior and by the way her mood began dropping it was clear something was wrong.
"...Spark..." she breathed, eyes slowly drifting across to the Geist-less sibling she had been having some one-on-one time with.
"...Mum is dead~"
East-side Gym
9:56pm
Everything had been so loud recently, so chaotic and worrying about it all was setting dark rings underneath Jacky's eyes - she was sick and tired of thinking about it all, trying to distract herself by keeping busy, which mostly involved helping Talos out with his errands or Lynn with her projects but still it didn't help her sleep regardless.
Eveyrone who'd go hit the gym after work would have gone home a little while ago by her assumption, which turned out to be correct because it seemed like the only cars parked outside the place seemed to be employee ones and Jacky couldn't see anybody through the large windows that made up a good portion of the facility's sides. The faux-white haired clone let out a small breath of satisfaction and gripped the handle of her standard-issue S6 dufflebag before entering, mentally swiping her membership through their system with the little device mounted to the girl's central nervous system, checking around for anybody else in the hallway before moving to tie the raven-rooted hair she posessed into a small ponytail that would keep it all out of the way while she tired herself out - even with the unfortunate side-effect of revealing the girl's heterochromatic nature she was so fond of hiding.
"My dear, a pretty thing such as yourself should not feel so ashamed. You have a beauty all your own, one you choose to hide because it is different..." the words of a certain Demoness drifted through her mind and sent a slight chill up the twenty-second Jane clone's spine as she pushed through the door and into the main area she thought was empty, too deep in thought to take notice of the other woman currently making use of it.
The thirty fifth of the batch sisters, normal aside one neural irregularity was busy in one of the weight rooms deeper within, keeping her back straight as she slowly let herself down, the two fifty pound sand bags on her chest making the already inconvenient 1.5 Gs in the room an actual challenge. Inverted rows she liked, always good for making her shoulders sore and loosening those muscles under her shoulder blades. They kept her core engaged, and when she felt her arms lock out, her shoulder blades just barely touching the ground, she rocketed back up, elbows out to keep the focus on her upper back and shoulders.
Slowly, she let herself back down again, taking almost a full ten seconds and feeling her core start to shake as she switched, rocketing back up with her elbows tucked tight to her ribcage to work the upper back on this repitition. She liked coming here late. Especially when she couldn't sleep. She knew something was up with her siblings, with all that had happened recently. It was just annoying to not know what. The lack of confidence in self displayed by several of the other Janes as they broke through their shells was something that interested Spark greatly. From Lynn's own mental health, despite her intelligence and skill. The issues were well managed by medication, but it still interested Spark that that had happened. She noted Jacky's shyness about her similar form to Talos, and Hati's sensitivity of being mistaken for anything other than a wolf. She'd not asked. Simply observed. After all, there were other things to worry about.
Like how the Tsumi recruits easily outstripped her in sheer strength, if not in physical fitness, and though her regimen was built around the attempt, she still couldn't quite keep up with a SHAM equipped soldier. It was clear to her that there were better options available to the NDC than physical training on humans, and it was clear to her that she was quickly becoming obsolete, no matter how close she came to the various biological weapons or supersoldiers she worked with. Despite her desire somewhere deep down to simply be forgotten, that concept still didn't sit well with her.
Jacky had walked a little further into the area at this point, giving a small sigh and shaking her head as the larger-than-stock Jane clone began dragging down the zipper of her hoodie - freezing up when a huff of effort from across the space reached her ears, almost instinctually a hand shot up with the intention to undo her hair and hide the non-standard pigmentation quickly but something made her hesitate and look at who it was first. It was Spark, perhaps the only clone strapped with more muscle than Jacky and for a reason unknown to F-22 it sent a small wave of relief through her system.
She didn't think the other clone had seen her yet, there was still time to undo her hair... but both Orias' and Talos' words filtered through her mind again, the hand wavered for a moment before Jacky forced it into her pocket and took a quick breath to try and calm her nerves.
It didn't work, her heart was thumping in her chest, but she liked to pretend it did something for the heterochromatic woman before she spoke up,"..Hey Spark~ y~you're here kinda late~" Jacky spoke meekly to her bulkier counterpart, another of Orias' wise lines came to mind.
"I see a warrior goddess before me, one who doesn't see herself as others do..."
It wasn't entirely about herself this time though, Jacky was fully aware she wasn't the only one of her vat-born siblings that had issues.
"Couldn't sleep. No duty tomorrow, so figured I'd come work off some steam." Spark looked up, seeing Jacky from her upside-down point of view. Odd, seing Jacky's blue eye for once. Then again, she hadn't seen much of her sister since they had been assigned their various units. She didn't stop her repetition, nor slow down, popping back up with a slight breath. "Same problem? If you'd like, I'm about to get on the treadmills. Two G and a four mile?"
"Yeah... something like that~" Jacky reciprocated with an idle scratch to the back of her head as she set the duffle bag down on a nearby bench before pushing both hands into her pockets just to avoid them sneaking back up again, shifting sideways slightly to face her blue eye away a little as she saw Spark's own oculars graze across it. She would have agreed though, it was good to see this particular sister after schedules split them up - Lynn, Spark and Jacky had all started life with a handful of perscribed medication and while Jacky had managed to get off her anti-anxiety ones for the time being there was no doubt that fact alone made her feel a little closer to those clones in particular, even if Spark didn't share their odd pigmentation.
"Sure though~ sounds uh, sounds good to me~"
"In that case," Spark let herself down, locking her feet under the pull bar's frame to sit up, hefting the sandbags easily. in each hand. "I'll put these away. I notice you're a lot more confident in armor. You don't think you're defective, do you?" Now that she wasn't partially hidden by the draping fabrics of loose sand filled bags, one could see that Spark had forgone the no bare midriffs rule so late. Her shirt absorbed too much sweat, and started chaving when she wasn't careful. "Before you ask, I still have trouble thinking I'm not some times. Don't dye my hair, though."
"I just~ don't..." Jacky began explaining but the words simply didnt want to come out, causing the clone to let a little huff of frustration leave her ample chest before trying again. "I don't like being built~ I guess purposefully uh, well different to you all~ and being in armour, it just makes me~ I don't know," the heterochromatic Jane sighed as she moved over to the treadmills slowly, head tilted down towards the ground in shame before turning back to Spark.
"....Not much of an answer~ sorry ..how are you going lately though?"
"Armor is safe. Feels comfortable. And for another mission, feels like you're just another trooper. I get that. Really." Spark nodded, placing the sandbags on their rack and following Jacky. "I will be fine. I'm more worried about the others. Some of the other Fenrir troops aren't quite as ready to break free. Recent events are worrisome. Specifically, I'm worried about you and Lynn. I can't help her, but perhaps, if you can put it to words, I might think of something."
Spark shrugged, her hand brushing the gravity control on her way through the doorway, telling it to add a full G of force. Enough to feel her guts drop and her legs become slightly more stiff. Her team's standard was a fourteen minute two mile time, at one and a half gravities.
The taller of the two clones buckled a little more under the additional gravity, being a little lost in thought on how she could try and word the odd feelings that made her want to just run out into traffic when things got particularly bad, but she recovered from the shift and undid her hoodie to reveal that scarred torso - while definitely not as physically intimidating as Spark, Jacky was indeed a good bit fitter, and much to her discomfort, curvier than most other Janes with her reasonably defined abdomen and muscled limbs.
"Yeah~ Lynn's still not saying much... not even to Tal or I, and I just... well, feel guilty for feeling like this~ when others have real issues," she spoke with a sad smile at the other clone before moving to stand up on the treadmill, shoulders slouched as usual.
"I wouldn't." Spark said simply, stepping onto her own treadmill. She pressed a few buttons and let the fans whirl up, moving air to match how fastshe would run. A final beep and she started, heavy feet thudding down the moving belt. "Set a comfortable pace. The standard's thirty six minutes. When Armora told me that the other clones looked up to me in their own way, you, Talos, Lynn, and Hati as well, it took me a few days to get over the idea that I felt a way I shouldn't have. Projected my own insecurities on the others."
She paused for a moment, looking over. "Still bugs me some times. Especially considering I'm kinda numb about Commander Pine's predicament. I feel like I should feel something. But I'm not sure what."
"You do so much for us, Spark, it~it's admirible... I am sorry for the stress that uh, that we might put you through though," Jacky reciprocated as she offered the other woman a small smile, looking down at Spark's treadmill to glance at the settings and set hers likewise before Jacky's footfalls joined in.
"Numb is a feeling too... Mum's thing came as a shock to everyone, just need some time~ to work through it," Jacky offered but this was a far cry from anything she'd consider herself qualified to help with, still she'd try though. The speed of the threadmill slowly built up, making the heterochomatic girl's heavily compressed chest bounce a little more with each step, the feeling causing a small frown on her face as she was again reminded of the differences.
"My point is that you might not want to focus on the fact that you feel like crap. If I'm allowed to be numb, you can be depressed for a few days." Spark shrugged, almost stumbling as she turned. "Besides, you, at least, have some jiggle to you. I might have overdone the PT for a few days."
"I guess that is fair~" Jacky mused at the first statement, a small blush fallng over her porcelain cheeks at the mention of her 'jiggle', though it did bring up an almost happy little moment with Dovania's Demon Queen not too long ago. "Orias actually bought these bras for me~ she keeps doing stuff like that for some reason lately, I don't mind though. We're about the same size so~" Jacky trailed off, not really sure where she was going with that but a dumb little grin formed on her face and the blush deepened.
"No, the fuck we don't! I lost my ta-tas, thank you, went up a few band sizes, dropped a few cup sizes, and got some almighty guns."
Jacky's raven eyebrows frowned a little out of confusion as she looked across to Spark, step faltering a little though recoving quick enough to brush it off as the heterochromatic girl spoke, "No we don't... what?"
"I went down a few bra sizes when I started bulking up my chest. Burned off most of the fatty tissue of my boobs." Spark casually poked at her sport bra. "I mean, I went up a few band sizes, but still, this is mostly gland. You look better than I do. Fit as Hell, but not big."
"Oh~" the blush that had only recently faded made its way back onto Jacky's cheeks along with a hint of a smile before the taller girl shook her head, "I~ I~ I wouldn't say I look uh... better, different? yeah~ but you looking tough as nails on the outside... I just think it suits you better," Jacky mused, she wasn't so used to people saying she looked nice but that was the second time she'd heard it this week.
"...this is weird but~ do you really think I'm pretty...?"
"Would you have any better reason for some of the attention you get, and the fact that I can't get a date?" Spark asked, looking at Jacky as though that was obvious. "You gotta realize that..."
Spark was quiet for a moment, considering her words, through the whine of the treadmill and the buffetting of fans. She felt her feet hammering against the surface, and found it amusing that her hair didn't quite bounce the same way, or that it took much smaller drops for her sweat to roll down. "You are not broken, Jacky. You're actually really pretty. That or I have some secret fetishes I should go see a therapist about. More than that, you're kind, sweet, strong, and one Hell of a scout. I envy you some days."
The taller clone's eyes drifted down to the tread and watched it roll past, thinking on what Spark had said for a good moment as her blush deepened and the smile curved up a little bit more, mis-matching gaze returning to Spark eventually, "I... thank you~ just need to get me thinking the same way... I'm starting to think I'm the only~ only reason I'm still... nevermind," Jacky stopped herself, maybe that was too personal of a detail, but maybe it was something everybody just assumed, it wouldn't be hard to guess she was still pure.
"Yeah, the only thing keeping some wonderful person outta your life is your own lack of confidence. In armor, you're great. Just don't pull a Rorik." Spark rolled her eyes, looking away with a snort. "And don't repeat my fuckups."
"Thanks, Spark~" Jacky smiled back once more before her head tilted to the side a little while regarding the other clone, noting the way she looked away when mentioning the whole Rorik situation and considering not bringing it up for a moment before just going for it.
"...y~yeah, the whole Rorik thing~ anything you uh, want to get off your chest?"
"It's nothing. The Rorik I knew died. Whisper saw it. Come to find out he's the original. I didn't tell him how I felt, and in out line of work, some times doing that means they're gone before you can." Jacky had probably seen how Spark had soured over the last few months, her anger management skills quickly degrading as her combat tactics became more and more brutal, shock and awe styled rapid insertions and massive firepower. The incident a few weeks ago with Armora was proof enough that she needed help, but was too prideful to admit that she was anything but perfectly okay. She hadn't noticed anything wrong, and continued mission as though nothing had happened. Moreover, some deep seated instinct to settle down and develop a romance interfered with her desire to die in combat like a hero and be forgotten as though she were no more than a conscript. "Now he's off with some Nepleslian girl and I'm stuck still... Well. You get my point."
"You're stuck with me~" Jacky mused with a light sheen of sweat beginning to form over her porcelain figure, polychromatic eyes holding shut for a second to steel her nerves and think carefully about what to say before opening again, honestly what came next was some amalglamation of what everyone had been telling her - though this time it was coming from the meekest clone.
"...I'm not good with~with my own stuff but I'm here if you need anything, Spark~ us Janes...with our issues? we have to stick together~" she tried offering as some reassuring words, trying to tell Spark she didn't need to go through all this alone, her shining chest beginning to heave a bit more with each breath under the increased gravity but Jacky made no complaints.
"You good?" Spark's stride hadn't broken from the easy lope. Sure, she was sweating, and her back and core ached in this gravity, but she had handled worse, trained and fought in worse. "You're right. We have to stick together. But I was never really one of them. Hell, Armora's the only jailbroken one that wasn't wierd in some way. You have some really neat and useful quirks. You know what I got? A damn brain defect. My programming's still there. If I get a Geist like all the rest, I join them locked away behind it. Kinda wish I could just check out like that."
"I can handle it~" the other woman responded, making her back straight again with a small popping sound after having noticed she'd begun leaning forwards - a huff escaping Jacky's lips though not from the added physical stress that came with Spark's more intense regime, she'd just knuckle through that, but more at some of what was coming out her sister's mouth. "I... wish I could make you see, see~see the amazing person you are for having pushed so far... despite that," Jacky meeped with a strong gulp, biting her lip thoughtfully.
"Oddities make us us~" she finished, eyes visibly widening at a small realization.
Spark was silent for a few moments, thinking. About fifteen minutes into the run and Jacky had two epiphanies that poked holes into Spark's worldview. "Almost halfway there. But you're right. Without that heterochromia or black hair, maybe that extra couple of inches, you would probably... I dunno. By the way, Lynn. She doing okay?"
Jacky tried to shake that stray thought from her mind but it lingered there, so the best the taller clone could do was push it aside for now and refocus on Spark, offering a bit of a forlorn look before answering, "...where I'm shy Lynn seems to be as stubborn as Mum~ but... I think the scars are coming in less frequently~ I hope it is a good sign."
"I hope so, too." Spark looked over, offering an appreciative smile, but also double checking that Jacky wasn't close to hurting herself. "I'm sorry I haven't been as engaged with our sisters as I should have been. Work's been crazy, and some of my missions have gotten a touch hairy. I'm sure you read the briefs."
"It's okay... people get busy~ and everyone should understand that... truth be told I still only really stick to our little group," Jacky admitted reassuringly as her lesser, when compared so Sparks, muscles could be seen straining with each movement - she'd definitely be sore as hell afterwards but there was a hint of a fire in her eyes that wanted to prove she could keep it up.
Spark liked seeing that fire. Both in her fireteam's eyes, and in her siblings'. It let her know that there was something beyond the professional mask, a determination to work hard and be the best. "I wasn't sure how to approach the group. Talos is a superior officer, Lynn... She's got her own issues, Hati's a good boy, the goodest, and you... Some times I think you're scared of your own damn shadow. Then there's a couple like Armora, who up and down swear the to-standard clones actually envy us."
Spark's hands went up in exasperation, showing how she wasn't allowing herself to slow down, despite the exertion. Jacky would not be the only one to be sore, as the human body was not designed to run for miles in high gravity. The strain on her heart and skeleton was offset by her physical fitness, but her footfalls were still shorter and faster, she couldn't bounce like her run form wanted, her steps were more careful, and her core was constantly engaged to keep her hips level, working itself several times harder, despite the relatively minor increase in gravity. "I knew there was a group, but I keep getting demoted so fast that I haven't been able to keep up with Talos and the others seem better off without me. Thank you, though. For being here. It means a lot."
"You're always there for me, Spark... so, I'll always be here~ for you," Jacky shot right back as her exposed top of her chest, midriff and arms slowly gained more of a sheen, the taller clone was really feeling it in her muscles and lungs but was determined to perservere, trying to keep her breathing steady half to manage her oxygen levels and half to try and hide the true strain from Spark.
"Always... no two ways about it~ we'll uh, figure out something to keep you from dropping rank... I'm free tomorrow actually... if you want to sit down then~" the heterochromatic woman finished with an offer and a kind, if not small and somewhat reserved, smile.
"Oh, for that stunt in the Neshaten meeting? Definitely losing my stripes. Probably gonna get dropped to a damn corporal and lose my fireteam." Spark seemed annoyed at the thought, though knew she would quickly earn it back, given the opportunity. "Then again, the most self destructive and problematic personality I've ever seen, barring Koroleva, twisted and weaponized, and whose idea was it to give me four? That said, I'll drop by tomorrow and we can figure something out. I'll bring lunch."
"...well, I reckon... no offence, but~ well you are probably the only person who could keep yourself in line if that makes sense," Jacky smiled a little more at the light-hearted compliment before nodding at her sister's previous statement. "But yes, tomorrow sounds good~ just us two, catching up... and stuff," she finished, heart thumping wildly in her chest from all the exertion but still not one complaint.
"I'm not worried about me." Spark grinned. "I'm worried about those damn Ironhart clones. We haven't had one get close to Rose just yet, but I imagine the response would be... Violent. Given what they've told us."
She shrugged, placing her hands on the railing for some measure of support and to check her heart rate. "Just one more mile. I'm rather impressed, by the way. The thirty six minute standard is at one G. It goes to forty at one point four. We've maintained a seven minute mile pace. Besides, this isn't catching up? You know who I'm interested in. You got anybody special?"
"Thanks~ sorry, I usually come here alone so... it's weird having somebody to talk to," Jacky chirped back happily as the blush that had faded retook her features yet again, eyes diverting away from Sparks with a heavy breath that was starting to reveal her struggle before F-22 continued speaking.
"You all seem to keep asking that... answer is still no, nobody yet~" Jacky admitted, and was about to stop there but if she couldn't tell Spark then who the hell could she tell.
"...I think I like girls though... nobody to test that with~ but... yeah."
"That's... You know what, that's great! Maybe one day we'll get gaybies out of you. Till then, I hope you find your cute something. Just one thing. I swear to Infinity, if I have to get her number for you, I'm telling her all the good stuff you don't touch on." Spark gave a knife hand and a raised eyebrow to drive the comment home, smiling.
"Oh! Anybody teach Armora how to put on a bra yet? Or... Anything about life? The last time we forgot, she got taken advantage of. I still owe that sleazebag a sacktap. But Aztec seems good for her."
"Heh... gaybies," Jacky gave with an uncharacteristically carefree chuckle before slipping back slowly into her usual demeanour, "I don't really have any secrets though Spark... besides~" the taller clone gestured to her whole person with a bit of a grimace before sighing. "It's not much of a secret anymore.. I suppose... but anyway~ I tried teaching her some stuff the other day... you know how many I have to wear during physical stuff so~," Jacky broke off from her idle rambling of an answer with another shake of her head before regarding Spark with a more serious look.
"I'd say her and Aztec seem good for each other... yeah... it's odd though, how he gets that body~ and then we see more start cropping up~"
"I blame Carl," Spark monotoned almost instantly. "Also, I know a guy who knows a guy, if wearing two or three sport bras is getting to be a bit much."
"...uh, what kind of solution would they have?" Jacky asked worriedly, a bead of sweat rolling down her jaw to land on the girl's expanse of cleavage as she continued to run, now with one eyebrow raised curiously.
"Probably heavier material, putting some engineering into it, et cetera. I'll pitch some coin. It's not a cheap thing. But they'll fit, and they'll work. For you, at least. Not everybody's got an hourglass doll figure with your... Add-ons." Spark returned the look. "After this, we're going to want to run a reacclimation drill and some cooldown stretches."
"Oh~" the doll in question sighed out of relief after hearing Spark's response, small smile lifting up the corners of her mouth once more before Jacky spoke, "I though you were suggesting a surgeon... odd as it sounds... I want to keep as many body parts as I can~ even if they worry me and make me stress... but that might be a good idea, thank you~" she chirped before clearing her throat.
"Sounds good~ I'm not used to... this much extra gravity."
Spark looked over with a mildly incredulous cocked eyebrow at the mention of a surgeon. Then she started giggling. "Not gonna put you under the knife if I can avoid it. You know the cooldown drill, right? Same thing at half speed and lower than normal gravity. Like half G."
"Yep~ sounds like what I've heard," Jacky smirked a little, secretly thankful this torture was almost over, her legs were on fire.
"Alright. And just a few more yards." Spark grinned, feeling the treadmill slow to a walking pace below her. "Just walk it out and breathe. Go ahead and turn down the gravity if you like. So on to other subjects. What are you doing tomorrow? Other than being sore?"
Jacky nodded and interfaced with the room's gravity controls via the chunk of computational equipment in the back of her neck, slowing her pace as the treadmill did until she was walking with a sigh as the additional weight was taken off her body, spending a few moments catching her breath before speaking, "Meeting up with you for lunch~ not much else besides that... Tal said he wanted to discuss something official-sounding with me this week, dunno what what was though~ yourself?"
"The usual. Do dumb shit, get demoted, do awesome shit, get promoted, meet you for lunch, drop a coffee shop girl in your lap. Try to get Armora to go for Aztec a little more aggressively." Spark shrugged, trying to keep herself from bouncing too much as she crossed her arms over her head, opening her lungs up to breathe deep as she walked off the run.
Bounce infact was the reason Jacky wasn't doing the same, she experienced that enough on a day to day basis let alone on half gravity... but her lungs were aching and her face was bright red already so she joined Spark - glorious chestly assets shifting about the way you'd expect them to in half-gravity. "S~Spark!" she scoffed a little at her sister's boldness, breathing deeply and revelling in the sensation of adeqate oxygenation before continuing.
"I didn't realize you were the... Devil's Advocate...? is that the right term?" Jacky had intended to try teasing a little bit but it had turned into a query, she wasn't well versed in using such flamboyant language afterall.
"In our line of work, dear sister, we could be gone any day, for weeks, months, or we could be never coming home. It doesn't always happen with a warning like Sarah." Spark looked away, playing dumb to the devil's advocate. "Sometimes you don't get a chance to say good bye. And some times you don't get a chance to say 'Hey, I like you, let's get coffee.' This isn't a fairy tale."
She was silent for a moment, her steps slow and careful, more a shifting of weight than a push off the ground. Slowly, the treadmill stopped, and she pulled one hand behind her shoulder blades, using the other to stretch the shoulder into place. After about twenty seconds, she switched arms and continued the stretch. "I just want to make sure everybody gets that chance."
"Thats admirable of you~ honestly..." Jacky offered back with a small huff as she too came to a halt, eyes shifting to the floor for a moment before returning to Spark. "Just don't forget to include yourself in there too... yeah?"
"Missed that shot. If there's someone I'm interested in, I'll let you know. I'm thinking redhead, violet eyes." Spark offered the joke with a smile before she put one leg as far back as she could, letting her right knee hit ninety degrees as she let her weight settle on her ankle, keeping her left leg straight and her body upright.
The heterochromatic girl's legs were feeling like they might give out if she bent them too much right now, so instead of stretching out like Spark she instead moved to rest against the rail of the treadmill, careful not to tip it over with her center of mass. "Sounds uh, well sounds like~ you might have your eyes on somebody already?" Jacky queried, but didn't want to go poking too much.
"Not really. Just making some jokes about a dream girl. Tell you what, if you find her before I do, sell me. If I get a call from some random comm code, I'll pick up. Bonus points if you get me pictures. I'm looking for some sweetheart farm girl who can cook better than I can." Spark shrugged, switching legs. "You know if you don't stretch out your legs and hips, they're gonna cramp tomorrow morning, right?"
"I'll be fine~" Jacky mused with a shrug of her shoulders before crossing her arms under her chest with a sigh, dumb little grin on her face at Spark's request and specific parameters but of course she would oblige. "I'll keep an eye out for you then... well both obviously... you know what I mean," F-22 choked up a little bit, it felt weird to have spent this long without hair over one eye like she usually did.
"Anyway~ do you mind if I ask something... something uh, personal?"
"Yeah. Go for it." Spark stood herself back out, dropping onto her fingertips and toes before she let her hips slide to the floor, pushing back to stretch her core and hips. "Rather you ask than assume."
"Alright then~" Jacky gulped as she moved over to sit on a nearby bench, shrugging her hoodie back on and zipping it up over her curves with a nervous little breath before asking what she wished to know. "The first time with... somebody~ does it really hurt as much as I hear it does?" the taller girl asked, fiddling with her tied-up hair a little bit.
"That depends on a few things. From the research I've managed, the more relaxed you are with your partner, the less that first push will hurt. But I don't know that firsthand." Spark's hips came back up, pulling her arms straight and driving her heels towards the floor. "Most of us don't, I imagine."
"O~Oh?" the curious clone let out, clearly surprised by part of this answer Jacky stopped fiddling with her hair and moved both hands down to her knees before giving some context - it really had caught her off guard. "I~I know most of us haven't... yeah, but I thought you might have~ huh, sorry for that," she offered with an apologetically awkward smile.
"For what?" Spark returned to her starting position, letting herself down before pushing hard to rocket to her feet. "I got into PT, never really bothered finding a lover. Not that many would find me appealing right now."
Spark shrugged, moving to settle into the bench next to Jacky. giving a small groan of relaxation before she gave a shrug. "Just never was something that I had a real interest in. Right person, sure. Otherwise, I'm happy with a gym membership and a mission."
"...Spark, you're great~ we'll find you that farm girl... then you two can, uh," Jacky spoke, a violent blush filling her cheeks but there was a soft smile on her pale features as the girl kicked herself onwards to commit to what she was saying, "Then you two... can make... gaybies of your own~"
"Jacky, let's be frank, I'm probably the only member of Fenrir division buffer than Talos." Spark leaned back, closing her eyes and leaning up against the wall. "I outweigh most of the girls by sixty or seventy pounds at least. That said, what would you be looking for?"
"I dunno~" Jacky began before getting up from her seated position with a small huff of effort, moving over to stand next to Spark before continuing their conversation - secretly though it was a little bit of an excuse to stall, "I... don't really know, yeah~ I'd almost say somebody shorter... but none of us are s~short and me less so - kinda a given I guess... just somebody nice," the taller of the two girls continued, leaning to one side a little to rest her head on Spark's shoulder.
"At least I know Mum won't say anything against me liking girls when I tell her~" Jacky finished with a small sound of amusement.
"Considering she married one? I dare say she'd be happy about it." Spark gave a small snort of laughter. "Someone nice will come. Perhaps they already have, but you're too shy to admit it. We should go to the beach some time. If you wear a bikini, I'll wear one. I'd look funny as Hell, but I'll wear it."
"Me... in a b~bikini?" Jacky stammered as she flashed back to cramming her extreme proportions into a bit of lingerie that Orias had picked out, it made the pale girl blush a little more as she assumed beach-side shenannigans would similarly embarass her... somebody else with her figure in one might look nice but not her... not yet at least.
"...okay maybe further down the line~ trying on lingerie was bad enough and that was only a few people," she offered as a neutral answer before feeling something pinch in the back of her neck, it was an odd feeling but Jacky ignored it for the moment.
"Further down the line. Up for a trip to see how mom's feeling?"
"Yeah sure~ oh one moment, I got a message," Jacky chirped back before raising her head off of Spark's shoulder gently to check, the heterochromatic girl's eyes widened and all of a sudden her mouth felt very dry as a few blinks were given - each passing of her eyelids making her mismatching eyes seem glassier than they were prior and by the way her mood began dropping it was clear something was wrong.
"...Spark..." she breathed, eyes slowly drifting across to the Geist-less sibling she had been having some one-on-one time with.
"...Mum is dead~"
